AMOCA Ceramics Studio, 301 N Garey Avenue, Pomona, CA (2025)

04/23/2025

Come work with us! AMOCA is hiring a Ceramics Studio Manager🤠🔥

If you're ready to wrangle clay, manage equipment, materials, and personnel, and work in a fun, creative environment, this job is for you!

AMOCA's studio program includes hand building and wheel-throwing classes, studio rental spaces serving 65 artists, a vibrant artist-in-residence program, demonstrations and workshops, community firing services, and a studio store. The Studio Manager is responsible for the overall operation, maintenance, and safety of our 12,000 square-foot ceramic studio in Pomona, CA.

Applications for this position will be reviewed as they are received; anticipated start date is Summer 2025. Learn more at amoca.org/employment/

04/21/2025

📣We are so excited to announce AMOCA's 2025-2026 Artists in Residence! Join us in congratulating the following artists (in order of arrival): Yoon Hwan of Walnut, California; Bianca MacPherson of State College, Pennsylvania; Maxwell Henderson of Red Lodge, Montana; Kristy Moreno of Los Angeles, California; and Liz Stringer of Long Beach, California. 🎉

Launched in 2012, AMOCA’s Artist in Residence program is one of the few long-term fellowship opportunities for ceramic artists on the West Coast. Located an hour from the desert, mountains, and beaches of Southern California and forty minutes east of Los Angeles, the residency space provides artists an opportunity to produce or develop a new body of work while also participating in AMOCA’s programs. Shorter residency opportunities for artists commuting from Southern California locales encourage artistic exchange with artists visiting from other parts of the world.

To learn more about the 2025-2026 artists and AMOCA's residency program, visit https://www.amoca.org/studio1/artist-in-residence/.

The Artist in Residence program at the AMOCA Ceramics Studio is made possible with support from the Windgate Foundation, the D&M Trust (David W. and Julianne M. Armstrong Living Trust and Mary Rini), and the Laguna Clay and Glaze Company.

04/06/2025

🚨 It's time to get your hands dirty -- we have a few seats left in our Friday Introductory sessions in the AMOCA Studio!

AMOCA's 1-hour introductory sessions, offered monthly, are the perfect way to get your hands dirty, relax, and have fun! Learn the basics of throwing on the potter’s wheel. And, if you successfully create a bowl, staff will glaze and fire it after the class is completed—all included in the price of the class.

Introductory sessions are for adults ages 18 and over (students 16+ may attend when accompanied by a paying adult). Along with your class comes a pass for complimentary admission to the Museum’s galleries – don’t miss the chance to explore one of the largest collections of ceramic art in the United States!

To learn more and register for a 1-hour class at 5:30pm or 7:30pm this Friday, April 11, visit https://www.amoca.org/studio1/classes/

03/23/2025

Ready to learn something new? It's time to sign up for spring clay classes 😎🔥

The studio offers both beginner and intermediate wheel throwing classes, as well as beginning and continuing hand building classes. New this term, we're offering a combination Intermediate Throwing + Soda Firing class!

AMOCA's classes are for adults ages 18 and over (students 16+ may attend when accompanied by a paying adult). 6-week classes encourage development of ceramic skills and are limited to 12 participants; access to open studio hours is included for the duration of the class and one week following.

Six-week spring session classes at the AMOCA Ceramics Studio start in mid April. For more information about AMOCA's studio classes, visit https://www.amoca.org/studio1/classes/

Pictured: at work in the AMOCA Studio

03/05/2025

🚨This Weekend’s Workshop!🚨

Open to students of all levels*

Join artist Michelle Solorzano this weekend, March 8 & 9, for an immersive 2-day workshop where participants will create a 3⁄4 life-sized bust of a person of their choice. We’ll start with simple forms, primarily cylinders, which will be altered and assembled to form the basic structure. Using reference images capturing the front, sides, and back of your chosen subject’s head, you’ll learn to build a hollow bust using the slab-building technique. To bring the sculpture to life, you’ll incorporate additional elements to enhance the story behind your portrait. We’ll explore ways to convey narrative through techniques like repetition, exaggeration, emphasis, and abstraction.

Techniques Covered:
• Hollow form building using slab construction
• Basic human anatomy, with emphasis on accurate proportions using reference images

Register today by following the link in bio or visiting us at amoca.org/studio-3/workshops. We look forward to firing with you!

03/03/2025

Tune in to art this week! At noon (Pacific) on Wednesday, March 5 Artist in Residence Stephanie Kim will present a virtual Artist Talk. Kim will share about her practice, past work, and future directions. There will be an opportunity for Q & A following the presentation.

Stephanie Kim is a former software engineer who has transitioned to ceramics. As an artist, Stephanie is constantly pushing herself to explore new techniques and styles, always striving to improve and evolve her craft. She creates figurative forms, each one being illustrative and expressive. Stephanie’s work has been in several juried and invitational exhibitions. Stephanie is currently a resident at American Museum of Ceramic Art and has completed many other short term residencies, including Clay Studio of Missoula, Baltimore Clayworks, A.I.R. Vallauris, and Red Lodge Clay Center.

Be sure to pre-register to get the zoom link! Learn more at https://www.amoca.org/events/kim-artist-talk/ or by following the link in our bio.

Pictured: Stephanie Kim, Dal, 2025. Stoneware, porcelain, underglaze, glaze, acrylic, twine; Kim at work in the AMOCA Studios; Kim's work on view in "Currently: Artists in Residence."

02/24/2025

🚨Upcoming Workshop!🚨

Open to students of all levels*

Join artist Michelle Solorzano next month, March 8 & 9, for an immersive 2-day workshop where participants will create a 3⁄4 life-sized bust of a person of their choice. We’ll start with simple forms, primarily cylinders, which will be altered and assembled to form the basic structure. Using reference images capturing the front, sides, and back of your chosen subject’s head, you’ll learn to build a hollow bust using the slab-building technique. To bring the sculpture to life, you’ll incorporate additional elements to enhance the story behind your portrait. We’ll explore ways to convey narrative through techniques like repetition, exaggeration, emphasis, and abstraction.

Techniques Covered:
• Hollow form building using slab construction
• Basic human anatomy, with emphasis on accurate proportions using reference images

Register today by following the link in bio or visiting us at amoca.org/studio-3/workshops. We look forward to firing with you!

02/16/2025

Join us at noon (Pacific) on Wednesday, March 5 for a virtual talk with Artist in Residence Stephanie Kim. Kim will share about her practice, past work, and future directions. There will be an opportunity for Q & A following the presentation.

Learn more and register at https://www.amoca.org/events/kim-artist-talk/

Stephanie Kim is a former software engineer who has transitioned to ceramics. As an artist, Stephanie is constantly pushing herself to explore new techniques and styles, always striving to improve and evolve her craft. She creates figurative forms, each one being illustrative and expressive. Stephanie’s work has been in several juried and invitational exhibitions. Stephanie is currently a resident at American Museum of Ceramic Art and has completed many other short term residencies, including Clay Studio of Missoula, Baltimore Clayworks, A.I.R. Vallauris, and Red Lodge Clay Center.

Pictured: Exhibition views of Stephanie Kim's work on view in "Currently: Artists in Residence." Photographs by Britney Liang.

02/12/2025

🚨New Workshop Announcement!🚨

Join artist Michelle Solorzano next month, March 8 & 9, for an immersive 2-day workshop where participants will create a 3⁄4 life-sized bust of a person of their choice. We’ll start with simple forms, primarily cylinders, which will be altered and assembled to form the basic structure. Using reference images capturing the front, sides, and back of your chosen subject’s head, you’ll learn to build a hollow bust using the slab-building technique. To bring the sculpture to life, you’ll incorporate additional elements to enhance the story behind your portrait. We’ll explore ways to convey narrative through techniques like repetition, exaggeration, emphasis, and abstraction.

Techniques Covered:
• Hollow form building using slab construction
• Basic human anatomy, with emphasis on accurate proportions using reference images

Register today by following the link in bio or visiting us at amoca.org/studio-3/workshops. We look forward to firing with you!

02/10/2025

🚨 Only a few spots left in the upcoming soda firing workshop with Haley! 🚨

Join Haley Tessler ( )in the AMOCA studio for a 3-day, hands-on workshop on the topic of soda firing. Participants will learn all aspects of the process of soda firing, learn about Haley’s work, and have the opportunity to fire their own work in AMOCA’s outdoor kiln. ** Each student is encouraged to bring between 5-8 pieces of CONE 10 bisqueware for the kiln, each piece no larger than 9″ in any direction, and pieces in varying sizes up to the max height is recommended. Cone 10 white stoneware or porcelain is recommended. **

Register today by following the link in bio or visiting us at amoca.org/studio-3/workshops. We look forward to firing with you!

01/30/2025

🚨 AMOCA's Artist in Residence program is accepting applications for 2025-2026 residents, and the deadline is coming up! 🚨 Located an hour from the desert, mountains, and beaches of Southern California and forty minutes east of Los Angeles, the residency provides artists an opportunity to produce or develop a new body of work.

Residency support including an accommodations stipend or furnished apartment, semi-private studio with 24/7 access, $100 per week living stipend, materials stipend, and firing stipend. Short term residencies, allocated for artists living in Southern California, do not include housing or an accommodations stipend; both short- and long-term residents receive a semi-private studio, living stipend, materials stipend, and firing stipend.

We extended our application deadline, so you have just a little more time! Apply by Saturday, February 8, 2025! ⏳

Learn more and find the application link at https://www.amoca.org/studio1/artist-in-residence/ or by following the link in our bio.

Have questions? Reach out to us at [email protected]

01/14/2025

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of David Armstrong, beloved founder of the American Museum of Ceramic Art (AMOCA), on January 7, 2025.

David's unwavering vision and dedication to ceramic arts education transformed countless lives. He created more than a museum – he built a vibrant community that continues to inspire and educate. His recent joy in witnessing AMOCA's 20th Anniversary celebration, the milestone of paying off our building's mortgage, and the premiere of a short documentary film about his remarkable journey make his loss especially poignant. While we will deeply miss his physical presence, David's spirit will forever resonate through our galleries and ceramic studio.

David leaves behind the love of his life, Julianne, and his children and their spouses: Elizabeth Cornell and her husband, Brad; David S. Armstrong and his wife, Pamela; and Christy Armstrong and her husband, Rodney Rincon. He is also survived by his sister, Mary Rini, and her husband, Michael; grandchildren Michelle Cornell-Davis, Christopher Cornell, Nicole Armstrong Lim, Erin Corson, and Alessa Rincon; and his great-grandchildren Seneca Cornell, Jarelly Cornell, Julianne Davis, and Elizabeth Davis.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be sent to the Armstrong Fund at AMOCA, 399 N Garey Ave, Pomona, CA 91767, or online: https://www.amoca.org/give/armstrong/.

For those wishing to express condolences, cards may be sent to AMOCA, ATTN: Julianne Armstrong, 399 North Garey Avenue, Pomona, CA 91767.

We ask that you keep David's family in your thoughts during this difficult time.

_________________

Pictured: David Armstrong standing in AMOCA’s Julianne and David Armstrong Gallery; film still from David Armstrong: Founder of the American Museum of Ceramic Art, Heather Flores and Alessandro Gentile / Radium 88, 2024.

01/10/2025

Our thoughts are with friends, family, artists, colleagues, local art and cultural institutions, and all those across Southern California dealing with the devastating and ongoing impact of the recent wildfires.

AMOCA and our immediate neighborhood remain largely unaffected by the fires, and the museum is open. We understand the situation may change, and we'll post any updates to our hours or events on our website.

The museum will be open for walk-in visitors this weekend, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday 11am-4pm. We anticipate upcoming events -- including Clay Classes at the Studio, the Second Saturdays Docent Tour, and the Talking Architectural Pottery panel discussion -- will move forward as planned. If anything changes, we'll notify registrants via email, so keep an eye on your inbox.

We want to help those who’ve been displaced or are suffering losses find support and access the resources they may need. We’ve compiled a list of supportive services, including information, shelter, aid, and care for those navigating these difficult challenges, along with resources specifically for artists.Find the list at https://www.amoca.org/events/resources/ or by following the Resources link in our bio.

Please share additional local resources and opportunities to help. If you're a local ceramic artist who has suffered losses due to the fire and wind storms, please reach out directly -- we may be able to help or connect you with a studio or supplies. 🧡 Take care, and stay safe, everyone!

01/06/2025

AMOCA's vibrant Artist in Residence program is now accepting applications for 2025-2026 residents! Established in 2012, AMOCA's program provides artists support to produce or develop a new body of work; both long- and short-term residencies are available.

Those wanting to learn more should tune into the AIR virtual Information Session on Wednesday, January 15, where you'll get introduced to program staff and listen to current and previous artists in residence share their experiences. There will be time for questions and answers at the end of the session.

Learn more and register by following the link in our bio or visiting https://www.amoca.org/events/air-info-2025/

01/01/2025

AMOCA's vibrant Artist in Residence program is now accepting applications for 2024-2026 residents! Established in 2012, AMOCA's program provides artists support to produce or develop a new body of work; both long- and short-term residencies are available. Those wanting to learn more should tune into the AIR virtual Information Session on Wednesday, January 15, where you'll get introduced to program staff and listen to current and previous artists in residence share their experiences. There will be time for questions and answers at the end of the session.

Learn more and register at https://www.amoca.org/events/air-info-2025/

Pictured: Current AIRs Stephanie Kim, Reniel Del Rosario, and Michelle Solorzano at work in the AMOCA Ceramics Studio.

12/17/2024

Ready to learn something new or hone your skills? It's time to sign up for winter clay classes 😎

The studio offers both beginner and intermediate wheel throwing classes, as well as beginning and continuing hand building classes. And, new this winter, we'll offer a six-week soda firing class!

AMOCA's classes are for adults ages 18 and over (students 16+ may attend when accompanied by a paying adult). 6-week classes encourage development of ceramic skills and are limited to 12 participants; access to open studio hours is included for the duration of the class and one week following.

Six-week winter session classes start in mid January! For more information about studio classes, visit https://www.amoca.org/studio1/classes/

Pictured: soda firing in the AMOCA kiln yard

12/04/2024

Thank you for supporting AMOCA's Education & Outreach Programs on . We raised $4,170, thanks to 16 individuals plus a private donor who doubled all donations yesterday.

We're just $830 shy of our goal. If you're still in the giving mood, you can help us reach $5,000 by donating any amount today at https://givebutter.com/AMOCAgt2024.

Pictured: Students on a school field trip smiling at their teacher for a photo outside of AMOCA; Robin Motooka-Blahut pointing out different pieces in the Diorama with miniature Architectural Pottery Designs by Junior Colmenares and Adam Agajanian; A thank you letter from Neythan at Yorbita Elementary who made a killer whale out of clay; AMOCA’s K-12 and Family Engagement Manager, Chinelo Ufondu, leading students on a tour of A Travelers Guide to Mettlach; A student working with clay

AMOCA Ceramics Studio